{"data":{"id":"us-ky/krs-509.040","jurisdiction":"us-ky","citation":"KRS 509.040","heading":"Kidnapping.","body":"(1) A person is guilty of kidnapping when he unlawfully restrains another person and\nwhen his intent is:\n(a) To hold him for ransom or reward; or\n(b) To accomplish or to advance the commission of a felony; or\n(c) To inflict bodily injury or to terrorize the victim or another; or\n(d) To interfere with the performance of a governmental or political function; or\n(e) To use him as a shield or hostage; or\n(f) To deprive the parents or guardian of the custody of a minor, when the person\ntaking the minor is not a pers on exercising custodial control or supervision of\nthe minor as the term \"person exercising custodial control or supervision\" is\ndefined in KRS 600.020.\n(2) Kidnapping is a Class B felony when the victim is released alive and in a safe place\nprior to trial,  except as provided in this section. Kidnapping is a Class A felony\nwhen the victim is released alive but the victim has suffered serious physical injury\nduring the kidnapping, or as a result of not being released in a safe place, or as a\nresult of being r eleased in any circumstances which are intended, known or should\nhave been known to cause or lead to serious physical injury. Kidnapping is a capital\noffense when the victim is not released alive or when the victim is released alive but\nsubsequently dies as a result of:\n(a) Serious physical injuries suffered during the kidnapping; or\n(b) Not being released in a safe place; or\n(c) Being released in any circumstances which are intended, known or should\nhave been known to cause or lead to the victim's death.","path":["KRS Chapter 509"],"source_url":"https://apps.legislature.ky.gov/law/statutes/statute.aspx?id=19751","current_through":"Includes enactments through the 2026 Regular Session","vintage":"09/05/2026","retrieved_at":"2026-09-05T21:00:01Z","sha256":"1692cca06547dd21ca8c1e25cb1594d04ab9c717d89c166d261eca2610639263","source_id":"us-ky","stale":false,"prev":"us-ky/krs-509.030","next":"us-ky/krs-509.050"},"notice":"GroundRules: Original legal text. Not legal advice."}